Base-ball-game-illustrating apparatus



-(No Model.) I

S. R. GROWDER,

BASE BALL GAME ILLUSTRATING APPARATUS. No. 543,851. Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

z'mtu ll/ I A Q-Homm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL R. CROWDER, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

BASE-BALL-GAM E-ILLUSTRATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,851, dated August 6, 1895.

Application filed December 19, 1894:. Serial No. 532,329. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. CHOWDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Illustrating Games of Base-Ball, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the preferred form of my apparatus; Fig. 2, a detail vertical sectional view through a portion of the supporting-board, showing the preferred means for adjustably holding the players or figures in their adjusted positions; Fig. 3, a similar view showing the adjustable device carrying the baseball; Fig. 4, a rear view of the support or field, showing the manner of supporting the inner sections of the diamond, and Fig. 5 a side elevation of the apparatus inits simplest form.

This invention has for its object the provision of an apparatus for graphically illustrating to an audience the progress of a game of base-ball at a distance from the place where the game is played; and it consists, essentially, of a support representing a field and slotted in various directions to permit the various plays to be shown in combination with a series of movable figures or symbols representative of the players and the ball, said figures being adapted to be moved in the slots by the hand of an operator concealed behind the board representing the field, this operator receiving instructions for the various plays by telegraph, whereby the principal plays in the game may be readily and graphically illustrated or indicated, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings by letter, a, designates a board representing the field, this board being supported in an inclined position by means of a suitable framework b arranged behind it. It is preferred that the board be thus supported; but it is evident that it may be supported vertically or in any other position desired Without departing from the invention. The four connected slots 0 form the diamond, andleadin g from the homebase, and connecting with the slots 0 at that point are the three radiating slots at e f,

which lead, respectively, to the left field, center field, and right field, and which intersect the slots forming the outer part of the diamond. The outer ends of said slots d, e, andf connect with short lateral slots g at their outer ends. Projecting outwardly from the outer sides of the diamond are short slots h, into which the figures representing the players are moved to be out of the way of a player making a circuit of the bases. Extending traversely across the field and intersecting the diamond at the first and third bases, and also the fieldslots at points within the diamond, is a slot 1', and radiating from the home-base are two slots j, one being oneach side of the diamond and extending outwardly toward the field, these slots being employed to illustrate foul balls. Extending rearwardly from the homebase is the catchers slot 70, and intersecting this slot at a point behind the home-base is the slot 1, provided at its ends with branch slots Z, these slots ZZ' being for the players awaiting their turn at the bat.

The sections of the field inside the diamond are supported in place by bows m, which connect adjacent sections and are themselves rigidly supported on a horizontal rod on, whose ends are rigidly secured to the board outside of the diamond.

The figures or symbols representing the players are each carried by a block n, whose upper face is fiat and is supported in a horizontal position in all its adjusted positions by having the lower face of the block beveled or formed conical, so that it will conform to the inclination of the board. A rod 0 passes down through the conical block and one of the slots in the board and carries, at a point below the board, a pair of pivoted grippinglevers p, which are pivoted to the rod 0, and are normally pressed apart at theirlower ends by means of a spring 19, said spring causing the upper ends of the levers to impinge against the bottom of the board and grip the same with sufficient force to hold the block in its adjusted positions on the inclined field.

In the drawings the blocks 'IL carry figures in imitation of the players themselves; but I wish it understood that I do not limit myself in that respect, since the blocks may carry numbers, names, or other symbols to designate the various players.

The ball is attached to the upper end of a wire 1'', passed down through the rod 0, whereby the ball may be raised and lowered and moved along with the block carrying it, this block being preferably slightly dished, as shown in Fig. 3. The rod 0' is preferably formed elastic and is slightly bent, so that when it is raised above the block and moved toward the catcher to illustrate a pitched ball it may be turned to one side out of line with the home-base to indicate to the audie'nce that the umpire has called the pitched ball a ball, thereby avoiding the necessity of announcing that fact orally to the audience.

If desired, a board 8, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, may be attached to the upper end of the field and provided with lamps to illuminate the field.

The operation will be apparent to any one understanding the game. The side or team at the bat are moved into the slots Z Z at one side of the field and the symbols representing the other team are moved to their respective places in the field. The operator then slides the block carrying the ball in toward the catcher, and if a strike be called the ball will be permitted to go straight past the batter to the catcher, and if the pitched ball be called a ball, the operator will raise the ball from its block and permit it to spring to one side out of line with the slot while it is passing to the catcher. If the batter bat the ball to the field that fact will be indicated to the audience by sliding the balLcarrying block out into the field as nearly as possible to the point where it was batted. At the same time the batter will be moved to the first base and on around the diamond as far as the real batter succeeded in getting, as indicated by the telegraphic instructions to the operator. If the batter be put out at first base, the operator will move the ball first to theplayer fielding it and then, as directly as possible, to the first base before the symbol representing the batter reaches the first base, as is evident. If the batter be put out on a fiy, that play will be indicated by simply moving the ball out to the fielder who caught it. If a foul be batted that will be illustrated by sliding the ball into either of the slotsj. As will be observed, numerous other plays may be indicated after the same manner.

I wish it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact number and arrangement of the slots shown, as the same may be varied to indicate the progress of the play more or less in detail.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an apparatus for graphically illustrating a base ball game, the combination of a board provided with a series of slots forming the diamond and another series of slots radi ating from the home-base outwardly into the various fields, and a series of symbols representing the various players, said symbols working in said slots, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for illustrating a game of base ball, the combination of a support having formed in it a series of slots forming the diamond, another series of slots extend ing from the former slots into the various fields, a slot extending rearwardly from, the home-base and another slot intersecting the latter slot behind the home-base, and a series of symbols representing the players and adapted to be moved around in said slots, substantially as described.

In an apparatus for illustrating a game of base-ball, a support provided with slots forming the diamond, the two slots forming the outer sides of the diamond being provided with outwardly extending branch slots, and a series of symbols working in said slots and representing the various players, substantially as described.

t. The combination of a slotted board representing a base ball field, a series of symbols indicating the players and Working in. said slots, and a symbol of a base ball also working in said slots, as and for the purposes herein shown and described.

5. The combination of a slotted board representing a base ball field, a series of symbols representing the players working in said slots, a symbol of a base ball also working in said slots, this symbol being carried by a bent rod adapted to be raised and turned to one side of the home base, as and for the purpose de scribed.

6. The combination of a board representing a field, said board being provided with slots forming the diamond, slots extending radially into the various fields, slotsj extending outward from the home base and a transverse slot intersecting the field slots and the diamond slots,and a series of symbols represent ing the players, substantially as described.

7. The combination of aboard slotted to represent a base ball field and supported obliquely, blocks n working in said slots and carrying the symbols indicating the various players, said blocks having their under sides formed conical, and means for clamping the blocks in their adjusted positions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL 1t. 0 tOWDER. lVitnesses:

O. W. WHITE, J. E. HALL.

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